I'm with you BogusBlake on the decision to add a coolant filter after all the labor in a new oil cooler and Bulletproof EGR Cooler. I did mine a few years ago similar to yours and a little different. I also went with a Dieselsite kit but I thought a lot on how to install because at the time I didn't know anyone who did one on a van.
My list of wants in the project were: 1) Not cut my new and expensive heater hoses after just getting rid of the SMB mess of a water heat exchanger. 2) Though the coolant system is a closed system it has a high and low pressure zone. I wanted without doubt to feed the filter from high pressure and return to low pressure in all conditions i.e. thermostat open/closed, heater flowing or not. 3) Remove and return flow to the system without disturbing the normal flow in the engine i.e. not cause a back pressure in the EGR or oil cooler. 4) Be able to visualize the flow or loss of flow returning from the filter in the degas bottle. 5) Provide a tap for a coolant pressure sender. The system I have so far has worked well and satisfied all these requirements.
I figured the block would be the safest high pressure zone to extract coolant. The block drain valve on the drivers side is a metric fitting so the challenge was how to make a hose barb. Found a fumoto F-108N oil valve would fit, it has a shoulder for the O ring to seal against the block and a barb for the hose. The shutoff is nice just encase I tear off the filter. I could close the valve and limp out.
Shown driver side
Fomoto F108N I purchased from quickoildrainvalve.com
Filter mounted under driver door. Extra plug on filter block is handy to drain the system or add an air chuck to test pressurize system. I wish I could leave a shutoff on there but I would tear it off on the first trail.
Brass tee block for coolant pressure sending unit under the brake booster. I chose to return the filtered coolant to the radiator to degas bottle hose (rather than the other hose up there)because I didn't want to interfere with the EGR cooler to degas bottle flow. I can easily visualize the coolant flowing into the degas bottle even though the flow is divided between the bottle and the radiator. How much coolant flows through the filter? Gallons per hour or time until a full exchange of all coolant? Dunno. With a new filter the stream in the degas bottle is the size of the i.d. of the barb and gently washes the inside of the bottle at idle, more on high idle. Over time that has to add up.
The large clamp is just strapping it down for vibration.
The coolant pressure shown on the gauge display. A year or so later I was able to detect my coolant cap was failing with this set up. Make sure you always have a spare cap and buy one you trust. Perhaps another topic entirely.
Perhaps I greatly over engineered this coolant filter thing. If I can be of assistance please ask.
Thank you BogusBlake for the topic.
-Eric
2005 E350, 6.0PSD, 4x4, SMB